COLUMBUS, OH – Wendy’s and Google Cloud have announced an extended partnership to introduce an innovative AI solution, called Wendy’s FreshAI, which is expected to transform the quick-service restaurant industry. The technology, created with Google Cloud’s generative AI and large language models, will enhance the drive-thru food ordering experience at Wendy’s, where 75 to 80 percent of customers prefer to order.
The current ordering experience can be challenging, due to the complexities of menu options, special requests, and ambient noise. Customers can fully customize their orders, and the fact that food is prepared when ordered presents billions of possible order combinations available on the Wendy’s menu, leaving room for miscommunication or incorrect orders. The generative AI technology from Google Cloud is expected to bring a new automated ordering experience to the drive-thru that enhances the experience for customers, employees, and franchisees.
“Google Cloud’s generative AI technology creates a huge opportunity for us to deliver a truly differentiated, faster, and frictionless experience for our customers, and allows our employees to continue focusing on making great food and building relationships with fans that keep them coming back time and again,” said Todd Penegor, President and CEO of Wendy’s.
In June, Wendy’s plans to launch its first pilot of Google Cloud’s AI technology in a Columbus, OH-area, Company-operated restaurant, with plans to expand to more Wendy’s drive-thrus. The pilot will include new generative AI offerings, such as Vertex AI, to have conversations with customers, understand made-to-order requests, and generate responses to frequently asked questions. This will all be powered by Google’s foundational LLMs that have the data from Wendy’s menu, established business rules and logic for conversation guardrails, and integration with restaurant hardware and the Point of Sale system.
Wendy’s seeks to take the complexity out of the ordering process so employees can focus on serving up fast, fresh-made, quality food and exceptional service. The introduction of Wendy’s FreshAI is expected to set a new standard for the quick-service restaurant industry.